1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to video graphics apparatus suitable for use with a video system which includes a video display device, user operable input means and a system controller which is responsive to the user operable input means and outputs video signals for driving the display device.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Video systems such as amusement machines for video arcade games normally have two modes of operation. In one mode of operation the amusement machine is operable to play a game on payment of an appropriate amount by a user. The amusement machine is normally provided with a number of switches, levers, joysticks, track balls and the like to enable a user to interact with the machine. Activation of this, play, mode is normally in response to the user inserting money or tokens into a coin or token mechanism. The play mode continues until the game has finished and/or the playtime bought by the user has run out. On termination of the play mode, the amusement machine will revert to a default, or attract, mode. In the attract mode, the amusement machine normally displays pictures which will attract the user to use the machine: hence the term `attract` mode. Typically, an amusement machine spends most of its time in the attract mode waiting for a customer.
A modern amusement machine, such as a video arcade game, is an expensive piece of equipment and it is undesirable that such a piece of equipment should spend a large percentage of its time not earning money for its owner and operator.
It has been proposed to display advertisements on the video display device of amusement machines during the attract mode of operation of the amusement machines. The following patent documents disclose amusements machines providing such a facility: GB-A-2,141,907; DE-A-3,048,393; WO-A-82/03,318; GB-A-2,091,069 and GB-A-2,083,936. These documents describe the generation of advertisements using various storage media, such as video tape recorders and solid state memories. Typically, the display of an attract mode is suppressed for the display of advertisements. However, none of these prior art documents consider the problem of providing video graphics apparatus which is adapted to be provided as an add-on for existing amusement machines. In particular none of the prior art documents consider the problems of providing such add-on apparatus which is suitable for use with a range of different machines installed or to be operated at customer sites.
My co-pending British patent application GB 9103936.2, filed 26 Feb. 1991, which is now a GB patent No. 2253325, published on Sep. 2, 1992, and the corresponding co-pending International application PCT/GB92/00344, filed 26 Feb. 1992, which is now a world patent No. WO9214526, published on Sep. 3, 1992, relate to examples of video graphics generators which are adapted to be provided as an add-on for existing video systems such as amusement machines. The subject matter of these applications is herein incorporated by reference.